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<a name="Mixing-Operations-1"></a>
<h2 class="chapter">8 Mixing Operations</h2>
<a name="index-mixing-operations"></a>

<p>Since version 2.0, multiple distinct actions can be specified in a single
invocation of GNU Stow.  For example, to update an installation of Emacs from
version 21.3 to 21.4a you can now do the following:
</p>
<div class="example">
<pre class="example">stow -D emacs-21.3 -S emacs-21.4a
</pre></div>

<p>which will replace emacs-21.3 with emacs-21.4a using a single invocation.
</p>
<a name="index-deferred-operation-1"></a>
<p>This is much faster and cleaner than performing two separate
invocations of stow, because redundant folding/unfolding operations
can be factored out.  In addition, all the operations are calculated
and merged before being executed (see <a href="Conflicts.html#Deferred-Operation">Deferred Operation</a>), so the
amount of of time in which GNU Emacs is unavailable is minimised.
</p>
<p>You can mix and match any number of actions, for example,
</p>
<div class="example">
<pre class="example">stow -S pkg1 pkg2 -D pkg3 pkg4 -S pkg5 -R pkg6
</pre></div>

<p>will unstow pkg3, pkg4 and pkg6, then stow pkg1, pkg2, pkg5 and pkg6.
</p>



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